Sandal with integral retaining straps



Nov. 14, 1950 J, 1 GUGLIELMQ 2,530,004

SANDAL WITH INTEGRAL RETAINING STRAPS Filed June 9, 1948 Josepk'DLGug'ZiaZnzo.

Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SANDAL WITH INTEGRAL RETAINING STRAPS This invention relates to an improved bathing sandal particularly adapted for use in shower baths, or at bathing pools as a protection against athletes foot, or at bathing beaches as a protection against gravel, stones or the like upon a rough wading floor of such a beach.

The objects of the invention are to provide a sandal simple in construction and which may thus be cheaply manufactured; a sandal which will be light in weight and extremely flexible, so that a pair of the sandals may be rolled up and carried in a pocket of a bathing coat or the like; and a sandal which, above all, will be fashioned to stick, without discomfort, tightly to the foot, so that when a person wades in the water, the

sandal will not slosh up and down, as the person walks, or slip, or become displaced by the presence of water about the sandal.

Other and incidental objects will appear during the course of the following description of the invention, and in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved sandal.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section showing the sandal in use.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the sandal.

The sandal of the present invention is of skeleton construction and includes a, flat sole H! which is preferably of rubber. Also, the sole is preferably of a single thickness, and is thin and limber, being amenable to being rolled upon itself, and may, for comfort, be somewhat soft or springy, if so desired.

Extending transversely of the sole it near its forward end portion is a toe loop H preferably integral with the sole. This toe loop is, in practice, thinner than the sole, is highly elastic, and may be formed of sheet rubber, or so-called film rubber. The toe loop I! is intended to comfortably bind the forward end portion of the sole to the sole of the foot, as shown in Figur 2 of the drawings, while, however, being adapted to stretch and contract, as the foot is flexed in walking, so that at no time, generally speaking, will the forward end portion of the sole be permitted to separate from the sole of the foot sufficiently to admit pebbles, or the like.

I further provide, at the heel portion of the sole ID, a more or less frusto-conical anklet I2 which is somewhat enlarged toward its lower end so that, as seen in Figure 2, said anklet may fit the leg above the ankle. This anklet, like the strap i l, is preferably formed of thin highly elastic sheet rubber.

For the convenience of the present description,

1 Claim. (01. 36-115) I have indicated the ankle bones of the foot at H]. Further, in this connection, it should be noted that at the zone of the ankle, the heel l4 of the foot is formed, as is well known, with a nub [5 at the area where the heel curves into the rear outline of the leg. The foregoing physical characteristics of the average human foot are noted only because the construction of the present shoe seeks to take advantage thereof in holding the shoe firmly to the foot, as will be later explained.

At its upper end, the anklet I 2 is preferably provided with a rounded elastic bead It, so that said bead may be rolled downwardly about the:

leg and thus also accomplish the rolling of the anklet downwardly therewith when it is desired to remove the shoe. The bead E6 is preferably of f rubber and capable of being distended or stretched considerably so that the shoe maybe removed without difficulty. Normally, however, the bead more or less tightly encircles the leg for holding the anklet against downward crumpling thereon.

Connecting the anklet l2, at each side thereof,

with the corresponding edge of the heel portion of the sole [0 is a pair of elastic heel straps I1 in-- tegral with the anklet and sole and of the same sheet rubber forming the anklet.

Considering a single pair of the straps [1, it will be noted, as best shown in Figure 2, that the strap at the rear extends forwardly from the nub l5 of the heel, while the strap at the front extends rearwardly from the crown of the instep at the crotch between the instep and leg. Thus, the two straps converge downwardly, the rear one being adapted to absorb rearward thrust of the foot on the sole l0 when walking, and the forward one being adapted to absorb forward thrust of the foot.

At their upper ends, the converging inner straight edges of each pair of straps I1 merge into a semi-circular gripping lip [8 adapted to fit the contour of the leg, more or less, immediately above the ankle bone I3 at the adjacent side of the foot. Thus, since the anklet l2 circularly grips the leg, the lips I8 will be tightened above the ankle bones 13 to somewhat conform to the contour thereof and elastically resist downward movement of the anklet as well as separation of the sole Ill from the sole of the foot at the heel portion thereof.

Extending transversely from edge to edge of the sole H1 at the rear of the anklet i2 is a more or less flat heel band E9 of rubber integral with the parts. The band I9 is much thicker than either the anklet or the straps l1 and is highly elastic. This band provides a rear margin reinforcement for the rearmost of the straps l7. Further, as will b noted, said band is disposed to engage over the nub l5 of the heel. Thus, the band also provides an active constructive member tending to bind the heel portion of the sole l0 against the heel of the foot. At the same time, free flex ng of the foot will be permitted without discomfort.

Extending transversely from edge to edge of the sole ID at the front of the anklet I!) is a more or less flat instep band Zil of rubber integral with the parts. The band 20 is like the bandv l9, being much thicker than the anklet and the fore.- most of the straps H, is highly elastic, and provides a front margin reinforcement for the straps. Further, as will be noted, the band 20 is disposed to engage over the instep of the foot at the crotch between the instep and leg and will thus also provide an active constructive member tending to bindthe instep. portion of the sole HJ against the adjacent portions of the sole of the foot. At the samev time, free flexing of the foot will be permitted without discomfort.

As will now be appreciated in View of the foregoing, the strap II will clamp the tread portion of the sole against the sole of the foot; the anklet IE will grip the leg; the lips l8 will engage over the ankle bones; the heel band l9 will cooperate with the rearmost of the straps H- to resist rearward thrust of the foot relative to the sole H] as well as clamp the heel portion of' the sole against the heel of the foot; and the instep band 20- will cooperate with theforemost of the straps I! to resist forward thrust of the foot relative to the sole l0 and clamp the instep portion of. thesole against the inste portion of, the foot, all cooperating to the end that the sandal, as a whole, will, once applied, remain firmly on the. foot.

Having thus described, my invention, I claim:

An integrally formed bathing sandal of rubber includinga fiat'fiexible sole provided near the toe portion thereof with a transverse toe loop and near the heel portion thereof with pairs of thin; highl elastic straps rising from the side edges of the sole, the pairs of straps converging toward the sole and having their confronting edges spaced apart a substantial distance at their points of connection with the sole, the rearmost straps of said pairs of straps being adapted to engage over the nub of the heel of the foot and defining an opening adapted to receive the rear portion of the heel therethrough, a thin highly elastic anklet of substantial width connecting the upper ends of said straps and adapted to encircle and grip the leg above the ankle, the straps of each pair of straps having straight downwardly converging inner edges and the anklet being formed at each side at the upper ends of said edges with a gripping lip having a, semi-circular lower edge extending between and merging with said straight edges to define a spatulate-shaped opening between the straps at each side of the sandal, said openings being of a height to receive the side nobs of the ankle bones therethrough and said lips being adapted to conform to the contour of the leg immediately above said nobs and to grip the leg for resisting downward slippage of the anklet on the leg, a thickened band reinforcing the rear edges. of the rearmost straps to extend over the nub of the heel for resisting rearward thrust of the foot, and a thickened band reinforcing the forward edges of the foremost straps to extend over the instep ofv the foot for resisting forward thrust of the foot.

JOSEPH DI GUGLIELMO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES. PATENTS Number Name Date 1,491,696 Guinzburg Apr. 22, 1924 1,537,778 Nyhagen May 12, 1925 2,099,418 Bradley Nov. 16 1937 2,114,421 Giufire Apr. 19, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS.

Number Country Date 2,850 Great Britain Nov. 11, 1857 

